Infectious spondylodiscitis: epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and evolutive aspects

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To Study the clinical, radiological, microbiological and evolving of infectious spondylitis. DESIGN : A retrospective descriptive study conducted over 3 years in the department of infectious diseases, including all patients with infectious spondylitis. Clinical given were collected from paper patient records. RESULTS : We included 21 patients. The mean age was 42 years. Males predominated. The mean time to diagnosis was 4 months. Spinal syndrome was found in all patients. Signs of spinal cord compression including paraplegia and paraparesis of the lower limbs were observed in 7 patients. Meningitis was associated in 4 cases. The psoas abscess was associated to the disc involvement in 7 cases. Plain radiography, performed in all patients, showed pathological pictures in 8 patients. MRI, performed in 15 patients, disease was in all cases. Tuberculosis was by far the most common cause. The leading causative agents in non tuberculous spondylitis were Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Brucella, and Escherichia coli. In four cases, the seed was not isolated. Medical treatment was adapted to the prescribed seed. Surgical treatment was performed in 6 patients. Neurological sequelae were noted in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS Our results are similar to those described in the litterature. However, in our country tuberculosis is the most frequent cause of infectious spondylodiscitis.